This invention relates to motor vehicles of the pickup type and, more particularly, to a tailgate assembly for use with a motor vehicle of the pickup type.
The pickup truck is among the most popular of vehicles sold. It includes a cabin, a bed section for carrying cargo, and a swinging tailgate to retain cargo in the bed. The tailgate assembly is typically formed in a metal forming operation from stamped metal panels which are welded together to form the tailgate. Then latches are added on either side of the tailgate to engage strikers on the pickup sides and a handle is provided to operate the latches to open and close the tailgate assembly and allow the tailgate to move between a raised position in which the tailgate closes the pickup bed and a lowered position and in which the tailgate acts as a loading platform for the bed. Whereas these prior art tailgate assemblies provide a durable and secure closure for the pickup bed and are generally satisfactory, their manufacture is extremely labor and tooling intensive with the result that the tailgate assembly represents an extremely expensive component of the overall vehicle.
This invention is directed to an improved tailgate for a pickup truck.
More particularly, this invention is directed to a tailgate which may be inexpensively formed.
Yet, more particularly, this invention is directed to a tailgate which utilizes a modular construction to simplify the formation of the tailgate and reduce the cost of the tailgate.
The invention relates both to an improved method of forming a tailgate assembly and to an improved tailgate assembly apparatus.
According to the improved methodology, an outer panel assembly is formed, including an outer planar vertical panel and attachment means; an inner panel module is formed, including an inner panel member having a planar vertical portion, latch devices positioned proximate opposite side edges of the planar vertical portion, a handle assembly mounted on the inner panel member, linkage means operatively interconnecting the handle assembly and the latch devices, and attachment means configured for coaction with the outer panel assembly attachment means; and the inner panel module is attached to the outer panel assembly utilizing the coacting attachment means to define a completed tailgate assembly having spaced inner and outer panels with the latch devices positioned at opposite sides of the tailgate assembly and the linkage means positioned between the inner and outer planar panels. This arrangement reduces the labor and tooling intensity of the tailgate construction and thereby reduces the cost of the tailgate.
According to a further feature of the invention methodology, the inner panel member further includes a header portion secured to an upper end of the planar vertical portion at right angles to the planar vertical portion. This arrangement allows the header portion to form the top panel of the completed tailgate assembly whereby to further simplify the construction of the tailgate.
According to a further feature of the invention methodology, the inner panel member, including the planar vertical portion and the header portion, is formed in a molding operation as a unitary molded member. The use of molding technology, as opposed to metal forming technology, further reduces the cost of the completed tailgate assembly.
According to a further aspect of the invention methodology, the outer panel assembly is formed in a metal forming operation of sheet metal material. The use of metal forming technology to form the outer panel assembly in combination with the use of molding technology to form the inner panel module results in a tailgate assembly that is structurally adequate and yet relatively inexpensive to produce.
According to a further feature of the invention methodology, the outer panel assembly further includes side panel portions which form the side panels of the completed tailgate assembly; the latch devices of the inner panel module are positioned on but not fixedly secured to the planar vertical portion of the inner panel member; and the latch devices in the completed tailgate assembly are fixedly secured to respective side panels. This arrangement allows the latch devices to be provided as a part of the preassembled inner module while allowing the latch devices to be ultimately fixedly secured to the structural side panels of the tailgate.
According to a further feature of the invention methodology, each side panel portion defines an inboard facing vertically extending channel proximate a respective side edge of the outer panel assembly; the inner panel module is assembled to the outer panel assembly by sliding the inner panel module relative to the outer panel to position the respective latch devices in the respective channels; and the coacting attachment means are thereafter utilized to fixedly secure the inner panel module to the outer panel assembly. This methodology assures the ready and positive locating of the latch devices relative to the structural side panels of the completed tailgate assembly.
The invention further provides a tailgate module for combination with a tailgate outer panel assembly to form a tailgate. The module comprises an inner panel member having a planar vertical portion; latch devices positioned proximate opposite sides edges of the planar vertical portion; a handle assembly mounted on the inner panel member; linkage means operatively interconnecting the handle assembly and the latch devices; and attachment means for securing the module to the outer panel assembly to form the tailgate. This arrangement allows the module to be preassembled and predressed at a location remote from the metal forming facility where the outer panel assembly is fabricated whereby to simplify the assembly and reduce the cost of the completed tailgate assembly.
According to a further feature of the invention methodology, the tailgate outer panel assembly includes an outer panel having a central notch formed in an upper edge thereof; the handle assembly includes a handle; the inner panel member further includes a header portion secured to an upper end of the planar vertical portion; the header portion includes an elongated main body portion secured to the upper edge of the planar vertical portion; and a handle portion downstanding centrally from the main body portion, sized to fit in the central notch of the outer panel, and defining a handle opening; and the handle is positioned in the handle opening. This arrangement allows the inner panel member to form a housing structure to receive the handle of the handle assembly.
Other objects, advantages and applications of the present invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art when the following description of the best mode contemplated for practicing the invention is read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.